Bethlehem Firefighters IAFF Local 735

1 day ago

Thank you to Tailboard Leadership for bringing our situation to light within the fire service community. If you read the latest posts in the thread you’ll get to see what the background of the situation is. We appreciate the attention to the challenges facing our firefighters and the residents we serve.

As the president of IAFF Local 735, I want to publicly state that I am disappointed our City administration presented only selected portions of a comprehensive Fire and EMS study, leaving an incomplete picture for the public and the fire service community.
That does a disservice to our firefighters and the community we are sworn to protect.

Our firefighters have been speaking up about staffing and resources for years while continuing to answer every call and do more with less. Their dedication should be matched by a City commitment to give them the personnel, equipment, and support they need.

We recognize that improvements take time, but that cannot become another reason to delay getting started. We need a clear plan, increased budgeted staffing, and accountability for moving forward.

All firefighters deserve to come home safely, and our residents deserve the help they need when every second matters. I will continue speaking up for both. Public safety must be a priority reflected in decisions and investments.
Sincerely,

Lou Jimenez
PresidentAt a time when many fire departments are adopting or exploring a 42 hour, four platoon schedule, a study of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania’s fire and EMS services presents a very different, almost unrealistic option: moving from a 42 hour workweek to 56 hours.

The study recommends hiring 28 additional firefighters over several years, increasing the department from its current 96, while keeping the existing four platoon schedule. As an alternative, it outlines a move to three rotating shifts. That would raise the workweek to 56 hours and increase staffing from 24 to 32 firefighters per shift without adding personnel.

*The city has made NO decision on either option.*

The hiring plan is estimated to cost about $3.1 million per year. Under the 56 hour option, if salaries stayed the same, firefighters’ hourly pay would effectively drop by 25% as their hours increased. ... See MoreSee Less

Bethlehem Firefighters IAFF Local 735

5 days ago

Thank you to the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters for all the hard work on getting this done to protect all of us! #ppffa #IAFFA VICTORY FOR PENNSYLVANIA FIRE FIGHTERS!

Governor Josh Shapiro has signed SB 804 into law, marking an important victory for the health and safety of Pennsylvania's fire fighters!

This new law takes meaningful steps to reduce exposure to dangerous PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam and provides greater transparency about the chemicals in our protective gear.

The Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association thanks Governor Shapiro and the members of the House and Senate who supported this legislation, especially Senators Gene Yaw and Nick Miller and Representatives Brian Munroe and Jared Solomon. We are especially grateful to our members, union brothers and sisters, and advocacy partners who worked tirelessly to make this victory possible.

Our gear should protect us, not put our health at risk. Today, Pennsylvania has taken an important step toward making that a reality.

#PPFFA #FireFighterSafety ... See MoreSee Less

Bethlehem Firefighters IAFF Local 735

1 week ago

THANK YOU

I am proud of our members who attended and spoke during the presentation of the Fire and EMS Study. Thank you for representing our department with professionalism and for sharing the firsthand knowledge and experience you bring to serving this community every day.

I am also grateful to the residents who attended, spoke out, and shared their concerns. The support you showed our firefighters was incredible, and it means a great deal to our members. Thank you for standing with us and advocating for the safety of our community.

It was disappointing that the company that conducted the study did not present its findings. As president of our union and a city taxpayer, I am concerned that the administration provided only a brief overview while leaving many of the study’s recommendations unaddressed. Residents funded this study and deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the experts, ask questions, and understand the reasoning behind their recommendations.

These concerns have existed throughout my career and for years before it. As Bethlehem has grown and developed, our department has lost numerous budgeted positions, a fire station, and an engine company. We have also been removed from certain emergency medical responses and experienced a period of more than four years during which no hiring took place.

These are significant reductions in the resources and services available to our community. Our firefighters continue to meet the demands placed on them, but their dedication cannot replace the staffing and resources necessary to provide safe and effective service.

Local 735 remains ready to work with the administration and City Council. Our community deserves to hear directly from the study’s authors, ask questions, and see a clear, public plan for addressing the recommendations. That includes an explanation of which recommendations the administration supports, which it does not, and why.

Our firefighters will continue doing their part, and we are asking city leaders to work with us to provide the staffing, resources, and support Bethlehem needs. Public safety must be a priority in our city. It’s time to take the necessary steps for our community.

Sincerely,

Lou Jimenez
President ... See MoreSee Less